Velocipede



(No Model.) 5. SheetsfSheet 3.

E. G. & 4. .0. LATTA.`

VELOGIPEDE. No. 294,641. i Patented Mar. 4, 1884.

IIIIIIIIIA (No Model.)v A 5y Sheets-Sheet l E. G. su A. C. LATTA.

A VBLOGVIPBDE. No. 294,641.. Patented Mar. 4, 1884.

(No Model.) y e 5 sheets-sheet 5'.

e E4."G.'&'A. C. LATTA.

l. e VBLOGIPEDB, Ne. 294,641. Petented Mer. 4,1884.

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*UNTTED STATES PATENT @Trina EMMIT G. LATTA' ANI) ADRIAN C. LATTA, OF FRIENDSHIP, NEV YORK.

VELOCIPEDE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 294,641, dated March Q, 1884.

Application filed March 15, 18.83. (No model.) l

:"0 di whom t may concern:

Be it known that we. EMMIT G. LATTA and ADRIAN C. LATTA, of Friendship, in the county of Allegany and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bicycles, of which the following` is a specifi cation.

The nrst part of this invention relates to the construction of the driving mechanism of a bicycle or tricycle, whereby the rider is enabled to drive the vehicle at great speed on level or descending ground7 or at less speed and with greater power on bad roads, uphill, or against the wind, or whereby the cranks may be applied to the wheel without change of motion when desired.

The second part of the invention relates to the construction of the hub, spokes, and rim of the wheel, and the means whereby these parts are connected together.

The invention consists of theimprovements which will be hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of five sheets, Figure l isavertical section of our improved driving mechanism. Fig. 2 is a cross-section in line a: x, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of the axle and' connecting parts. Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the collar which engageswith the `spirallygrooved sleeve. Fig. 5 is a cross-section in line x Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a cross-section in line y y, Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation of the central portion of the drivingwheel and one arm of the fork of the ma'- chine. modiiied construction of the driving mechanism. Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation ofthe rim of thewheel. Fig. 10 is a face view thereof. Fig. 11 is a cross-section of the tire. Fig. 12 is a section of the inner metallic portion of the rim. g the wire is bent of which the spokes are constructed. Fig. 14E is a'face view of a portion of one of the hub-flanges. Figs. '15 and 1 6 are cross sections, illustrating a modified construction of the rim. f

A A represent the legs of the forked frame which straddles the driving-wheel, and A A2 are cylindrical bearings secured to the lower ends of the legs A.

Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation of a Fig. lvillustrates the manner in which Z) represents 'the axle, which is supported in the bearings A VA2, and Z/ are the cranks, which are keyed or otherwise firmly secured to the ends of the axle b. The bearing A is constructed vwith a cylindrical bore, in which the axle b turns directly, and the bearing A2 is constructed with a somewhat larger bore, to receive a sleeve, B, inclosing that portion of the axle b which passes through the bearing A2. The sleeveB is arranged to turn in the bearing A2 and on the axle b, and is provided Y at its outer end with two cranks, b2, arranged on diametrically-opposite sides of the shaft b. @represents wiresiwhich extend upwardly from the cranks b through the hollow leg A ofthe Afork to a bell-crank lever, C, which is pivoted near the uppei end of the leg A, and

provided at the end of its long arm with a thumb-piece or handle, whereby itcanbe seized. The long arm of the lever is provided 1), and has a limited sliding movement on the same. The wheel D receives motion from the axle b by means of a key or feather, d, vwhich is secured in the axle and proj ects into grooves in the hub of the wheel. rIhe wheel D is provided, nearest its center, with a bevel-gear, d', and, farther removed therefrom, with a bevel-gear, d2, facing in an opposite direction, and on its periphery with a spur-gear or clutch, d,

E represents abevel-wheel, which is adapted to engage'with the smaller bevel-gear d', and Fis a bevel-wheel adapted to engage with the larger bevel-gear di. The bevel-wheel E turns on an arbor, e, which is secured to a support, e, attached by means of a screw-thread or otherwise to the bearing A2,"which latter passes through the hub of the support e. The wheel F turns upon an arbor, f, which is secured to The cranks Z)2 are protectedA -IOC a similar support, f, attached to the bearing A. The wheels E and F are arranged so far apart that the wheel D can assume a position between these wheels in which it dees not mesh with either ot' them.

G t' represent the end disks of the'hub,

which turn, respectively, upon the outer cylindrical surfaces of the supports c and j. The disk G is provided with a bevel-gear, y', which meshes with the wheel E, and the disk G is provided with a bevel-gear wheel, g2, which meshes with the wheel F, and is smaller in diameter than the gear-wheel g. The disks G Gf are connected to a cylindrical drum, gf", which is 'provided with a central internal clutch or spur-gear, ff, adapted to engage with the peripheral spur-gear or clutch d of the wheel D. The sleeve D is provided near its inner end with a spiral groove or grooves, h, h1 which engages a projection or projections, 71', of a collar, ll, which surrounds the sleeve B, and which is attached to the wheel D by means of a projecting rim, h2, entering a recess in the hub of the wheel D or any other suitable means. Upon turning` the sleeve B, by means of the wires c, the spiral grooves lt engage with the projections h and cause the collar H and the wheel D, connected therewith, to move longitudinally on the axle I). By this means the wheel D can be shifted on the axle, so as to engage its bevel-geard with the.wheel E, as represented in Fig. l, or so as to engage its bevel-gear V with the wheel F, or so as to engage its peripheral spur-gear d with the internalspur-gear, g, of the drum r/, as may be desired. When the bevelsgear d is engaged with the wheel F, the speed is decreased and the power correspondingly increased. W'hen the bevel-gear d is engaged with the wheel F, the speed is increased, and when the peripheral spur d is engaged with the drum y" the motion is transmitted directly from the axle of the wheel without any change whatever. rlhis construction enables the rider to suit the motion of `the vehicle to the condition ot' the ground.

Vhen either set et' bevel-gears is used, the cranks are required to be turned backwardly in order to turn the wheel forwardly which enables the rider to apply more of his weight and strength to the pedals, and renders it more convenient and safe to mount and dismount from the pedals. Itis also very advantageous in long distance riding, because the rider can occasionally change the direction in which the cranks are turned, whereby he is enabled to travel long distances with less fatigue than if obliged to turn the cranks at all times in the same direction.

The gears are fully protected against dust, rain, Sie., and not liable to get out ol' order, and have no projecting parts which could catch in the clothes.

In machines designed with particular rel'erence to use in hilly countries the speed-gear may bedispensed with, while in machines designed for use on level roads the powergear may be dispensed with.

In the modified construction of the driving mechanism represented in Fig. 8, i represents the sleeve, which surrounds the axle b, and which receives rotary movement from the axle by means of a key, Ii', which passes through an elongated opening, fi?, in the axle, so that the sleeve is capable of sliding lengthwise on the axle.

l l. are two spur-gear wheels of different diameters, arranged loosely upon the sleeve i on opposite sides of the key i. The wheel l rests with its outer side against the arbor-support e. which is secured to the bearing A, and the wheel l rests with its outer side against a plate, lf", which is connected with the support e' by horizontal bolts i, arranged on diametrically-opposite sides ofthe axle l).

J J are two compound-gear wheels turning loosely on the bolts i, and each provided with a large central spur-gear, j, meshing with the interior spur-gear, y, of the drum y, a slnaller spur-gear, j', which meshes with the wheel l, and a still smaller spur-gear, y, which meshes withthe wheel l. By shifting the sleeve i, s0 that the key i engages in the depressions i" of either oi' the wheels l' l, the rotary motion of the axle b is transmitted to the hub of the wheel either by means of the wheels I andj, or by the wheels l` and j, thereby enabling the rider to change the speed of the machine accordingly. rlhe end. ofthe sleeve ff'. is provided with a disk, fr, carrying a peripheral spurgear, which engages with an interior spun gear, i, attached to the inner side ofthe hub. \Vhen the key i stands between the wheels l and l', so as not to engage 'with either, with the parts in the position shown in Fig. S, the motion of the axle b is directlytransmitted to thehub without change otmotien. The sleeve Iis shifted by a bell-crank lever, li, pivoted to the lower portion of the fork, and connected with one arm to the sleeve, and with the other arm to a rod or wire, which extends upwardly to an actuating lever located near the steeringhead.

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li represents the rim of the wheel, and m the spokes. usual form-concave on its outer side-to receive the rubber tire N. The spokes m are all formed of a continuous piece ot' wire, or of' several lengths of wire spliced together and bent to the proper form.

In Fig. 13 the full lines represent the spokes on the side ofthe wheel nearest tothe observer, and the dotted lines the spokes on the farther side of the wheel, and the arrows indicate the direction in which the wire is bent to for'm these spokes. It will be observed that the wire is so bent as to run from the hub to the rim, then forwardly along the rim to the next spoke, then inwardly to the hub, forming the next spoke, then outwardly to the rim, for1ning the second next spoke, then baekwardly along the rim, then inwardly to the hub and forming the intermediate spoke, and so on, so that the wire is doubled back every second time it runs to the rim, whereby the spokes on the back of the wheel are located between The rim l is constructed in the IZO those on the front sidev of it. The wire is` 'secured to the rimbyzbeing passed through a slot, 7c, -which'is long Aenough to receive the outer ends of two adjacent spokes and the connecting-wire. 7 i

k represents a clamping-plate which is interposedb'etween the wire and the rim, and which is made concave on the side facing the rim, so as to rest on its Ledges only, and provided with biting-edges k2, which project outwardly into the'rubber tire N. The latter is provided with two grooves or depressions, a, located on its inner side, in which the bitingedges of the clamping-plate. engage. Vh'en the spokes are ti ghtened,the body of the clamping-plate is drawn` toward the rim, whereby tached to the iia'nge to be removed.

the biting-edges of the clamping-plate are caused to approach each other andf embed themselves into the material of the tire,there by securely fastening the tire to the rim. The bent inner portions of the spokes are inserted in radial recesses Z in the hub-plates G Gl and secured therein by followers Z, .which bear against the outer sides ofthe bent portion of the wireoiinecting two spokes, and which are held in place by screws Z2, which work in threaded openingsin the hub-danges. By applying the screws Z2 the followers are moved inwardly and the inner1 ends of the spokes are similarly moved,thereby tightening the spokes between the tire and the hub and drawing the outer portions of the wire, which rest against the clamping-plates k vtightly against the rim. This construction of the spokes does away with the necessity of heading or screw-threading them, and-permits the use of a lighter wire inthe construction'of the wheel, thereby offsetting, to a certain extent, the additional weight of the variable-motion gearing. A broken'spoke can be readily replaced by removing the bent portion of the wire and splicing in apiece of wire to take its place. One of the hub-anges can be removed, 'when necesssary to take out the gearing, by removing the .fastenings whereby the spokes are at- If desired, the outer portion of the hub-fiange may be made separate, to facilitate forming the radial recesseslfor the reception of the spokes.

In building our improved wheel, the outer bent ends of the spokes are first passed through the slots k in the rim. The'clamping-plates 7c are then passed between the wire and the rim, thereby securing the outerends of the spokes to the rim. The hub isnext placed in position and the inner bent portions of the spokes in- A serted in the radial slots Z in the hub-anges.

inwardly to give them the necessary tension, whereby the biting-edges of the clamping- `plates are caused to seize the rubber tire, as

hereinbefore described. y

The tongue a of the tire may be. made of material stronger than ordinary rubber, or it may be strengthened by a cord or otherwise, if there is any tendency of the tire to tear out of the clamps.

The center of each clamping-plate 7c is preferably cut away to form an enlongatedopening, which facilitates the closing of the bitingedges, and enables the ends of the wire to be sp'liced,when replacing a broken spoke,with

out 4removing the tire.

-The clamping-plates may be made long enough to receive more than two spokes, in which case the spokes in the central part of clamping-plates from the the clamping-plates will belet in through openscribed isused in wheels which are not provided with gearing in the hub, the tighteningscrews may be dispensed with, and the spokes tightened by spreading the liub-iianges on the axle, or drawing the bent inner ends of the spokes over the edgeof the iiange and toward the opposite side'of the wheel.

The continuous-wire spokes may be attached to the rim without clamping-plates. In this case the rim is rolled with a groove, o, and iiange o on its inner side, as representedv in Fig. l5, and slots are cut in the ilange for the passage of the spokes, and after the bent outer end of the wire forming two spokes is placed in the groove of the r1m, the iiange is bent down on the wire, as represented in Fig. 16, thereby securing the wire to the rim.

XVe claim as our invention-- 1. The combination, with the crank-shaftv b and hubs G G, of' a connecting-drum, g3, an internal-gear rim secured to said drum, and gear-wheels,whereby the shaft can be engaged at desire with said gear-rim, and whereby the directmotion of the crank-shaft, or a reduced or increased motion can be imparted to said gear-rim, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the crank-shaft b, of the hubs G G', constructed, respectively,with bevel-gears y g2, bevel-wheels E and F, turning on fixed arbors, and a drum, g3, secured to the hubs G G', and provided with an internal-gear rim, g", and an adjustable wheel, D, provided with bevel-gears ddi, and spur-gear d, adapted, respectively, to mesh with the wheels E, F, Aand g3, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the crank-shaft b, of hubs G G', provided with-bevel-gears g g2, connecting-drum g3, provided with the gear g4, bevel-wheels E and F, shifting -wheel D? arranged between the bevel-wheels` E and F,V

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and means, substantially as deseribedmhereby the Wheel D can be adjusted to inesh with either of the gears E, F, and 9*, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, `.Vith the crank-shaft b, of the bea-ring A', sleeve B, adapted to turn on the shaft and provided with spiral grooves h, eollar H, engaging in the spiral grooves 7:, and shifting-wheel D, Connected with the eollar H, substantially as set. forth.

5. The Combination, with the crank-shaft I) and gear-adjusting sleeve B, adapted to turn upon the crank-shaft, of the arms b2, secured to said sleeve, wires c, and bell-crankl lever C, whereby the sleeve can be turned and the gear mechanism be adjusted, substantially as set forth.

5. The Combination, with ariin having an opening extending through it and the hub of a wheel, of a series of spokes constructed of a Continuous piece of wire secured to the rim by extending` along1 its outer side between two openings for the passage ofthe wire, substantially as set forth.

"7. The combination, with the rim K and bent-wire spokes m, of the clamping-plates 7a', interposed between the Wire and the rim, suhstantially as set forth.

S. The Combination, with the rim K, of a tire, N, and a c1ampingplate, k', secured to the .rim and adapted to grasp the tire, suhstantiallyas set forth.

9. The combination, with the rim K and tire N, of clamping-plates k, constructed with bting-edges adapted to be closed by an i11- wa-rd pressure against the clamping-plate, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination, with a hub Constructed ints face with radial recesses Z, of the bent spokes m, and followers Z', seated in said :reeesses, and tightening-screws Z'-,\vork ing in the threaded Walls of.' said reeesses, substantially as set forth.

EMMIT G. LATTA. ADRIAN C. LATTA- Witnesses:

S. M. NoRroN, F. B. CHURCH. 

